Future Faculty Fellowship

Northeastern University invites nominations and applications from candidates in all disciplines represented at Northeastern University to apply for the Future Faculty Fellowship Program.

Northeastern University’s mission emphasizes translational research that addresses global challenges and enhances social wellbeing. Northeastern University strives to create a vibrant and diverse community, characterized by collaboration, creativity, and unwavering commitment to excellence and an equally unwavering commitment to exhibiting respect for one another. Northeastern celebrates diversity in all its forms and fosters a culture of respect that affirms inter-group relations and builds community.

Enhance the academic environment of Northeastern by providing opportunities for students and faculty to gain experience in multi-cultural, broadly diverse and inclusive work settings and research collaborations that improve the capacity of all their members.

Eligibility Criteria

A prospective Fellow must have completed the Ph.D. degree by the start of their fellowship term and no earlier than three years before the start of the fellowship term.

Fellows will be selected based on academic promise; alignment of the student’s academic objectives with Northeastern’s research projects, particularly with the potential research project(s) and lab(s) to which the Fellow would be assigned; and commitment to a diverse and inclusive academic community.

Current postdoctoral scholars and Ph.D. students at Northeastern University, or those otherwise employed by the University are not eligible to apply.

A prospective Fellow must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States of America.

Fellowship Terms

Northeastern will provide a placement in at least one host laboratory / academic program / department at Northeastern University to the Fellow in an area of their area of academic interest / specialty.

Northeastern will provide at least two Northeastern faculty members who each are committed to serve as mentors to the Fellow.

Northeastern will appoint each Future Faculty Fellow for a one-year, 12-month term. Fellows whose appointment begins during the 2018-19 academic year will receive a 12-month salary of $50,000, plus health benefits. Fellows will receive $5,000 towards conference travel and other research-related expenses.

The Fellow may be interviewed for a faculty appointment at Northeastern University if the department has a faculty position and the search committee selects them for an interview. A Fellow is not required to accept a post-Fellowship faculty appointment as a condition of the Fellowship. Northeastern also is not obligated to offer any Fellow a faculty appointment upon completion of their fellowship. However, the Fellowship program is intended as a step toward a Fellow’s development as a potential faculty member at Northeastern or another institution of higher education.

Fellowship Program Expectations and Requirements

Each Fellow must present at least one research seminar or colloquium on the Northeastern University campus during the academic year of the Fellowship. Each Fellow also must give at least one presentation on their research at a national or international conference during the academic year of the Fellowship. All publications, conference presentations, and seminars authored or co-authored by the Fellow must acknowledge support by the Northeastern University Future Faculty Fellowship Program.

As the Future Faculty Fellowship program is designed to help the Fellow build a research portfolio towards their future academic success, fellows are not required to teach courses at Northeastern, but may give occasional guest lectures.

Fellows are encouraged to participate in grant / foundation proposal writing and in outreach activities, in additional to the customary activities of postdoctoral fellows: research, publication, and presentation.

The Northeastern University faculty member and the department chair supervising the Fellow’s host discipline must agree to furnish the laboratory / office space, supplies, and the Fellow’s access to equipment / research supports that are needed for the Fellow’s proposed research for the entire year.

The research project(s) to be carried out by the Fellow may be conducted in collaboration with the Northeastern University Principal Investigator(s) of the host discipline(s). Fellows are especially encouraged to pursue independent research.

Application Procedures

For fullest consideration, applicants must submit the following materials by January 12, 2018 for fellowships beginning on or after July 1, 2018.

Cover letter, including a proposed start date

Statement (2-4 pages) describing in detail how the applicant’s academic, employment, and/or personal experience and achievements demonstrate commitment to the program objectives described above

A complete curriculum vitae

An overview of career goals, including scholarship and teaching goals in a future faculty position (1-3 pages)

A research proposal for the Fellowship year (3-5 pages)

At least three letters of recommendation from advisors outside Northeastern

Letter(s) of commitment from Northeastern University faculty member(s) who will serve as mentors and hosts. As an applicant you can identify and contact Northeastern faculty members and request a letter of commitment or contact the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the college for a recommendation.

Applicants are asked to submit all materials online through the Northeastern Human Resources application system with letters of commitment sent directly to Jan Rinehart, Executive Director ADVANCE, j.rinehart@northeastern.edu. Letters of recommendation may be uploaded by the applicant in the application system, or emailed to j.rinehart@northeastern.edu. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.

Letters of Commitment

Northeastern University, through its faculty members, must agree to make several commitments to a potential Future Faculty Fellow in order for the potential Fellow to present a complete application for a Fellowship.

Letters of commitment must be obtained from each Northeastern faculty member who agrees to serve as a mentor and agrees to supervise the proposed Fellow in a Northeastern laboratory / discipline. The letter(s) will specify the research support (equipment, supplies, computer, etc.) and resources the Northeastern faculty member will make available to the Fellow. The letter(s) will also include a mentoring plan for the Fellow, including timelines and mechanisms for providing regular feedback to the Fellow and to enable the Fellow to work with the faculty member to establish a Career Development Plan. The faculty member must indicate their willingness to allow the Fellow to pursue independent research, and must describe how a balance between independent and collaborative research will be achieved. The research topics to be pursued by the Fellow will be identified by mutual agreement between the Fellow and the faculty mentor(s), and ideally should be a mix of independent and collaborative research.

For assistance in connecting with a faculty member in your area of study, contact one of the faculty representatives below:

Review and Selection

Applications will be reviewed, in order, by the department(s)/program(s)/center(s) with which the proposed faculty mentors are associated; the dean(s) of the proposed hosting college(s); and the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs.